The Ministry of Health (MOH) represented by the Center of Studies & Research of the Directorate General of Planning & Studies held today Sunday a ceremony to launch the National Health Surveys 2017 that include National Non-communicable diseases Survey and their risk factor Surveillance as well as National Survey of Nutrition. The launching ceremony was held under the auspices of H.E. Dr. Darweesh Saif Al Maharbi, MOH’s Undersecretary of Administrative & Financial Affairs at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque’s Hall with the presence of high officials.

Dr. Ahmed Al Qasmi, Director General of the Ministry’s Planning & Studies indicated in his opening speech that the results of these surveys contribute directly in the health development Five Plans concerning their planning, preparation and assessment. They additionally build the national capacities in the fields of research and studies and acquiring them innovative skills and methods for data collection by using handheld devices, analyzing data and report writing.

Later, a video was presented on NCDs prevalence and their risk factors and the significance of conducting the national health surveys that are organized by the  Studies and Research Center (SRC) in collaboration with NCDs department, Nutrition department, the National Committee for Tobacco Use Control, World Health Organization (WHO), and the UNICEF.

The national health surveys aim, as pointed out by Dr. Adhraa Al Mawali, SRC director, at establishing a key national database of the non-communicable diseases and their determinants, achieving leadership in the epidemiological and intrusive research, and developing evidence-based policies, strategies and legislations. Dr. Al Mawali further stated that the national surveys include NCDs and their risk factors, the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), and the National Nutrition Survey. She further touched upon the different phases of survey implementation that started from writing the research proposal, estimating the survey budget and getting approval from MOH committee. The next phases were getting approval and support from the Research Funding Committee then forming Central research committee. Moreover, the phases included preparing the survey logistics, mapping update and not to forget equipment supply, in addition to pilot study and fieldwork.

It is worth to mention that the training workshop on National Non-communicable diseases Survey and their risk factor Surveillance was inaugurated afterwards targeting 77 participants from data collection teams from the Sultanate different Governorate. The five-day workshop is conducted by the Central Survey Team of the SRC in collaboration with WHO experts. 

The training program includes the introduction, objectives of the workshop, and overview and rationale of NCD. Moreover, it addresses the WHO STEP wise approach to NCD risk factor surveillance and the tasks of each one of the fieldwork team. The training also introduces methods of household selection and the selection of one member of the family from the age of 15 and above to complete the rest of survey steps.  It trains the data collectors and fieldwork teams on the communication skills and ways of performing a successful interview and how to deal with refusals.

The next day of the training introduces the survey questions and the meaning of each question.

The third day of training focuses on the use of handheld device in collecting data and equipment used in measuring biological indicators, as well as how to take a urine sample to identify the salt consumption level in the Omani families.

The last two day will be dedicated to insure the quality of the training by conducting a pilot experiment under the supervision of the Central Survey Team and WHO Experts.